Is the Glass Ceiling a myth?

Despite the provocative headline that got you this far, I'm sure there's something to it.

So few women top executives exist that I'm sure there's some "boys club" reason behind it in the board rooms of major corporations where, not coincidentally, there are relatively few women.

But what about female line workers: the female clerks, saleswomen, scientists and engineers. Not the woman who aspires to being the CEO, but the woman who, like most men, just wants to earn a living.

I've often wondered about the statistics and have yet to find an answer to this question: are the statisticians comparing apples to apples or apples to oranges?

Here's what I mean:

Most men are ready to travel or even relocate away from friends and family if it will improve their career opportunities. I strongly suspect that while many woman are also ready to improve their careers in this way, most women are not.

I strongly suspect that many women still head toward careers in line with natural feminine inclinations to nurture: teaching, nursing, veterinary care and assistantship jobs, art and craft-oriented jobs.

Add to this some of the disadvantages of women in the workplace such as, greater absenteeism (female health and family commitment reasons), more likely to be a smoker (less likely to give up a break in a crisis situation), and less likely to accept a career move if it means leaving office friends behind, and...

...I wonder what the stats about advancement opportunities and pay would look like if one compared the women who were more like men against their male counterparts.

Not surprising. Today most moms want to breast feed, which is her reason for taking time off. The man probably goes to work in order to keep his company rolling along with minimum trouble to his coworkers and to his career. This is a common values difference, I think, between the sexes.

And I'm afraid thats the problem. Men, and this is partly due to the stereotypes women still enforce uppon men, are not living up to their obligations to their consanguinity in this regard. And the denial runs deep. If both parents are working you cannot use the "primary breadwinner" excuse. You have to pony up. Women can help by not furthering the macho image that a man can't be sweet, compassioante and nurturing to their children.

We can argue till the cows come home about whether obligations are objective or not. I think they tend to be due to agreements and contracts and I wager that in those cases where the man goes back to work much more quickly than the woman, she understands the reason why and agrees.

That strikes me as a fairly unusual situation with men who aren't all that keen on advancement. Taking the maximum leave is about as popular with managers as the employees who manage to use up every sick day they are due year after year. They know it's not a coincidence.

I'm sure one can find different anecdotes in different companies, but your company sounds exceptional in that area. I never had a job I could leave for three months without causing problems for my company and my coworkers.

More controversial comments here (and I'm in the unenviable position of being despised on both sides because my views are controversial to all sides) ;-)

I think we have to find a way to break this discord caused by things like this because it overlooks the fact that humanity must have some sense of obligation to consanguinity and whatever it costs the workplace, its an inefficiency of doing business. Mothers and fathers have to take off considerable time for their offspring and the consequences - and sour grapes where they exist - for this shouldn't be borne on the mother alone.

I always thought that sick day/sick leave was like a mental health day. A day off taken, randomly, to clear your head, watch a movie you might miss, a trip to the coast during a week day, a 12 hour nap, or a more complete time block for romance!

When I was self employed, I notice my time off dropped, making me dream of the good old days. Now on sabatical since February, I have too much free time which my wife noticed. Now I am 'Mr. House Remodel', and 'Mr. Horse Barn Builder'....LOL

Some companies explain that you have so many days off per year which you can use as you wish. After that you lose pay. But if your company calls them sick days and you use them for anything other, you are cheating them.